Continuous mass production of various workpieces has required development of conveying systems capable of transporting a stream of workpieces from a supply stack to a return stack through a working station for processing operations, for example cutting, recording, inspecting, or the like. It is commonly a necessary condition for most processing operations that the workpiece be precisely positioned. Additionally, it is often the case that either the workpiece should be firmly retained in place on the working table during processing, or alternatively sliding movement of the workpiece relative to the surface of the table should be suitably guided.
However, providing a separate specially equipped working table and transferring the workpieces from the conveying system onto the working table imposes additional loading, positioning and unloading operations thus slowing down the production. Furthermore, the consequent additional manipulations may cause damage to the workpieces and requires additional equipment which occupies considerable floor space.